You can't take the sky from me

Siegebreakers

5

NOV/12

(TODO: Can probably place some links here)

The captured bandit, between Ivan’s scary scalpel and Rose’s reassurances, was happy to share all the information he knew. He and his outfit had been hired to get some cargo that was being delivered on that ship, and since the Captain was being stubborn about giving it up, the ship was being held under siege. They also found out that there were about a dozen bandits in total, and that their leader was named Terry Daniels. The crew hadn’t known that the Captain was delivering confidential cargo, but weren’t surprised. The debate about what to do with the prisoner was cut short when the kitfighter was seen lifting off from the spaceport. The crew took off running towards the spaceport (and the paddock and stable on the way).

Despite some attempt to be stealthy and avoid notice, the kitfighter spotted them. Instead of attacking, it simply circled and observed. Rose and Niel headed towards the horse paddock. Ivan decided to put his hands on his head and walk towards the front gate of the spaceport. Granny Tea followed Ivan. When the kitfighter flew low overhead, however, she whipped out her shotgun and landed a clean shot to one of its engines, knocking it out of the sky and causing it to crash-land right in front of the spaceport gate.

Ivan ran to the downed kitfighter, shot the pilot as he was climbing out of the wreckage, and then got down to business trying to saw off his head so he could pump the pilot’s brain for information in his lab later. Meanwhile, the bandits that had been waiting in the spaceport opened fire. Ivan was able to find cover for his dirty work behind the downed kitfighter, while Granny Tea stayed to the side of the gate and out of the line of fire.

While all this was happening, Neil and Rose found Ed the stablemaster hiding in the stable attached to the paddock. He explained how the starport had been overrun, as well as the existence of (and keys to) a side entrance. Niel and Ed took off running towards this side entrance. Rose stayed behind long enough to saddle up a horse, and hearing gunshots and seeing Ivan pinned down, charged towards the gate intent on rescue.

Seconds later, Rose had her horse shot out from under her just as she got to the gate. She took cover with Ivan, and helped him fend off a close-range attack from the bandit leader. The two-on-one gunfight leaves the leader wounded, and he retreats.

Meanwhile, Granny Tea joined up with Niel and Ed in sneaking in the side entrance. From there, they get into the security building, where they find the two remaining living workers for the starport being held in the brig. Granny works to free them (shotguns make effective lockpicks), while Niel and Ed climb to the observation and control tower for a better view and a clear shot of the area.

This is where things start going very badly for the bandits. They’d positioned themselves to have good cover from the spaceport entrance, but being flanked like this took them completely by surprise. Niel and Ed started taking them down with ruthless efficiency. A second kitfighter launched from the roof of the building on the far side of the spaceport got shot down too, a well-placed rifle burst causing the pilot to go out of control, bounce off the Aces and Eights, and crunch into the ground. Ivan finally finishes his gruesome task, and after securing the carefully-severed head in a sterile storage bag, joins Rose in assaulting the front entrance.

Granny Tea, after freeing the prisoners and helping them hunt down a couple of pistols in the security building weapons locker, busted out the door to join the fight… and was immediately met by the bandit leader, Terry Daniels, who had retreated to about that position. He grabbed her shotgun, and tried to wrest it from her. She fired a couple shots to empty it (in case he succeeded), but after a half-minute of struggle managed to regain control of the gun while knocking Daniels backward. Before he could get back to her, she quickly and calmly loaded her gun and gave him both barrels to the chest, ending him loudly and messily.

The fight ended soon after that. Captain Mallorn and the rest of the crew appeared through the main cargo doors of the Aces and Eights. Two of the bandits managed to escape by truck. One of the bandits surrendered, and after pleading for medical care for his fallen comrades, told Ivan and the Captain everything he knew. The main new things learned were that the bandits had been hired by one of the major corporations working under the table. Despite Ivan’s suspicions to the contrary, all signs point to straightforward industrial espionage against EITC. Captain Mallorn was able to get in touch with an EITC contact and arrange to have the cargo delivered to a better-policed location at Durmin. While there, the Captain plans to make repairs to the hull, replace the supplies lost in the shuttle crash, and find a new shuttle.